Legacy Fighting Championship and Elite MMA Partner with Murphy and HeartGift.org to Raise $22,000 for a Child in Need of Life-Saving Heart Surgery!

Houston, TX. – November 17, 2011 – On December 16, Frost Murphy, a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt out of Elite MMA in Houston, will not only be stepping into the cage to make his professional MMA debut, he will be fighting to save a life. Murphy will be donating his entire purse to HeartGift.org, a charity that provides lifesaving surgery to repair congenital heart defects in children who live in countries where specialized medical care is not available.

Murphy feels that fighting to benefit a charity like HeartGift.org is a great way to show the world that MMA isn’t just a blood sport and that fighters have a giving and compassionate side. He chose HeartGift.org to honor his future father-in-law, who is one of the co-founders of the organization. Murphy will make his pro MMA debut at Legacy Fighting Championship 9 against Chris “Chop” Rucker in December. 100% of his earnings that night will go directly to the charity.The HeartGift Foundation brings children from around the world to Texas to correct life-threatening heart defects. They must travel to the U.S. for the procedure because adequate healthcare is not available in their home countries. Each child is strategically chosen and every dollar raised goes towards funding their heart surgery. The children return home post-surgery with a healthy heart and new found hope for the future.According to Murphy, “There are so many people in mixed martial arts that are dedicated to making a difference, especially the fighters, from mentoring troubled kids to participating in charity events. The MMA community in Houston is a testament to that. Everyone has come together to raise the $22,000 needed to save this child, especially my gym, Elite MMA and Legacy Fighting Championships.”Elite MMA recently held a fundraising event to benefit Murphy’s sponsored child that included an in-house grappling tournament, kick-a-thon, and a silent auction. The response was so overwhelming they were able to raise more than $17,000! Once the goal of $22,000 is met, additional funds will go towards sponsoring a second child. In addition to fundraising initiatives executed by Elite MMA, Legacy Fighting Championship will be selling limited edition T-shirts on their website (starting in December) and at the Legacy FC 9 event on Dec. 16. 100% of the T-shirt proceeds will go to HeartGift.org. Fans everywhere can make a $10 donation by simply texting the keyword GIFT to 80077.

Legacy Fighting Championship 9 features a main event welterweight title bout between Strikeforce veteran’s Mike “The Greek” Bronzoulis and Jorge “Macaco” Patino. The event will take place on December 16 at the Houston Arena Theater in Houston, Texas. Doors open at 6:30pm CT. Fights begin at 7:30pm CT. Fight fans can purchase tickets at www.legacyfights.tv. The main card will air live on HDNet at 9:00pm CT.

Legacy Fighting Championship has promoted professional and amateur MMA events since 2005. Throughout its history, the emphasis has always been maintaining the commitment to provide only the highest-quality mixed martial arts competition for fighters and viewers alike. Legacy’s continued goal is to maintain that quality while evolving and growing organically with the sport of MMA. Fight fans across the nation can watch Legacy Fighting Championship events live on HDNet. For more information, please visit www.legacyfights.tv. About HeartGift Foundation:

The HeartGift Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is headquartered in Austin, Texas with chapters in Houston, San Antonio and New Orleans. HeartGift brings children from around the world to the United States for surgery to correct life threatening heart defects. These children come to the states because their home countries lack adequate health care, and they leave with repaired hearts and a new sense of hope for the future. To learn more about HeartGift, visit www.heartgift.org.